It was a showdown in the fog this morning. My brother Andy and I got to the blind a little before 6 o'clock. After getting everything setup in the drizzling wet darkness I decided I was gonna catnap for a while cause I figured it would be a long time before we heard a bird in this soupy weather. Crows would interrupt my sleepy daze every now and then but for the most part I did some snoozin'.
7:30, a gobble, was I dreaming. Nope there it was again. I hit the mushroom tube call and he cuts me off. Again I call, same thing. Now we got a game. Surprisingly he gobbled really good considering it was foggy as all getout. He finally works his way into view, gobbling all the way. At about 60 yards he starts struttin' and hangs up. For nearly 45 minutes he does his thing, I don't think he liked the struttin' deke. Finally 3 hens show up and they make a "B" line to the hen deke and start purring really loud and pecking her head. That did it! The tom could stand it no longer and he strutted on into range where the Win XR # 6's took him cleanly at 26 steps.
I can't take full credit for getting this bird in range, without the hens we may still be 60 yards apart in a standoff. One thing for sure the bird did answer the calls that came from the piece of art "Mushroom" Tube Call made by my brother. It is without a doubt one of the best sounding tubes I have ever had the pleasure to run. I had asked the guy who bought this call if he would let me use it this spring to call in a bird, he agreed. Wonder if he would mind if I kept it a few more weeks?
2 year old, 18 ½ lbs., 10 ½ inch beard
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p75/barry61/IMG_6856_1_1.jpg)
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p75/barry61/IMG_6859_2_1.jpg)
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p75/barry61/IMG_6849_1_1.jpg)
Talk about "jelly-head"... Win XR 6's do a number at 26 steps.
(http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p75/barry61/IMG_6854_8_1.jpg)
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Fine lookin bird :icon_thumright:
Congrats! :icon_thumright:
Great hunt Barry!!
Neat looking call. Can we get some close ups of the call?
God Bless,
David B.
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You are my hero. Great turkey.
TRKYHTR
Nice bird, congrats :icon_thumright:
Congrats Barry!
Congrats, great bird.... :icon_thumright:
Way to go, Barry. Very nice story. Very nice bird. The pictures are A-1, as usual..Mike :you_rock:
Congrats on a nice bird,
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congrats on a good bird and that is a neat looking call there :z-guntootsmiley:
WTG, job well done !!! :you_rock: :z-guntootsmiley:
Contracts Barry!!!
Scott :z-guntootsmiley:
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Awesome story! Great bird! The owner of that call should be honored to have you break it in in such fine fashion!